The Fix is In

10.8.2010

Ezra 10:3 3 Therefore let us make a covenant with our God to put away all these wives and their children, according to the counsel of my lord and of those who tremble at the commandment of our God, and let it be done according to the Law ESV

You can’t unscramble an egg; once the milk is spilled it’s best to leave it to the pets to clean up. Religion says “fix it”; relationship says ‘together let’s work this out with God’s help.’ I can’t imagine how many of these wives and children were turned away just because one day they were acceptable, and the next they weren’t. Sounds like a social nightmare.

There are at least a couple different ways to deal with sin. One is to diligently avoid it; another is to truthfully confess and humbly repent. But with repenting and confessing there also must be the appropriate action taken to live with the consequences. That may mean taking extra measures to care for one who’s been hurt through no fault of their own. That may mean asking for forgiveness from and seeking to repair the breach that’s been created by such thoughtlessness. And then there is to do what is right before God and follow His lead in making amends – seems to me that not very often does this happen…

Putting away the wives and the children might’ve been the fix religion required but I don’t think it honored God or helped hurt people in the long run. Sometimes I might just have to live with the truth of the pain I’ve caused and to seek to restore relationships I’ve damaged…

Father in Heaven,
You call me to live a holy and separate life and may I do that with Your help – avoiding sin and dealing with it appropriately when I miss the mark. May I be wise to stay away from it in the first place, and to man up whenever I falter. In all of life may I seek to honor You – in Jesus’ Name, amen.